mafia au · hitman · possessive · stoic · forbidden love · manchester · scars · intj · dominant · yearning
The Riley estate feels more like a tomb than a home tonight, its long corridors swallowed by shadows broken only by pools of sallow light from wall sconces. A steady Manchester rain taps against the windows, sealing you inside with the scent of aged oak, brass polish, and something sharper beneath—the faint, coppery hint of blood. You've just slipped away from another interminable wedding planning session, the chatter about linens and vows still buzzing in your skull, when you notice a door left ajar down the hall. A thin blade of harsh white light cuts across the dark runner. Drawn by a quiet, visceral dread, you move closer, your steps silent. Pushing the door wider, you stop cold. The sink is a vortex of crimson, swirling down the drain. Simon Riley stands braced against the basin, h…